The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1887-04-20
TIE GROWING CROPS.


Reports Mado To the DepnI tment of Aeri-
culture by It's Special Co respondents.
The State Department. of Agriculture
has received and tabulated the April 1st
reports of its special corrcspondcnts.
Ihese returns cover every county in the
State and over half the townships.
AREA IN WHEAT AND OATS.
Estimates based upon these reports
show that tho area in wheat has been in
creased three per cent. over the area Of
1886. Tho condition is reported Mt 4
per cent. better than at tho same time
last year, but B per cent. below an aver
age crop. Tho area in oats shows de
crease of > per cont. below last ycor.
Condition 2 per cent. better than in
1856, but IL per cent below an average.
1t is estimated that ~ per cent. of the
oat crop was sown in the fall, and seven.
ty four of the correspondents report the
early sowing in better condition than
that sown in the spring, while one hun.
dred and thirty seven consider the hitter
crop the most promising.
The correspondents estimate thot ONLY
about per cent. of the wheat crop was
drilled, the balance of the crop being
Droadcasted; and the reports, with very
lew exceptions, show that the condition
OF the grain SOwn broadcast is much bet
ter than the small proportion that was
drilled. 1t is estimated that rs per cent
OF the wheat crop was winter killed.
live STOCK.
The condition of horses and other
work ANIMALS Is reported at Z per cont.
below the average OF this season OF the
year, due entirely to the deficiency Of
gram produced by the small crops of
1856. Tho condition of cattle, shgcp
and hogs is fully up to an average.
Live stock bas suffered very slightly
from diseases Of any kind, the principal
complaint being of cholera among hogs,
but this does not appear to have been as
prevalent aS III previous years. \ fow
cases of glandcrs have been reported
among horses, but the spread OF the
disease has been chccKcd by the action
OF the Department and the owners Of
the stock III destroying the afflicted ami
mails.
FARM SUPPLIES.
The reports indicate that the amount
OF farm supplies purchased viii not be
less than III 1886, owing to ilo partial
failure OF the crops Of last year, but the
correspondents report that tho faimors
are using every effort to hettor their
>'''ON ~ piuSiiCiIS thc llDSJ llplu
economy, and by Il determination to in
crease the area in food crops
FARM LABOR.
Farm labor is abundant, ana reported
as increasing in efficiency one hundred
and oighty-two Of tho correspondents
reply that labor is good" iiitv us GIN
dhhercnt and ten rs "bnu Only
twehty-elgDt correspondent report a
" AZ Ial, Il -. 3D.. I
,1..i,;1 VI '"ooi' c"u'c'' ~ "a" 'aHofclS
roads mo n,,;or,t;nI, '"a Nv , ,"tl-
Ind no or.rreaini,i' No. ~ @ law
labor of ,nc Stntr
'o"M'.HIlNi 'hhiIL'"i!'''
FROM November |, 1850, to April /,
1856, the sales OF commcrcaI fertilizers
IN oouth CRrohhn "mou TED 70 lOl,ISl
tons; Tor the same period i'll itSG-S7 the
sales have been ~ ,OI6 tons, showing q
decrease the present season rf l3,5OJ
TONS. Ihe safes alc also 1873 tons be-
low 1854 20, showing Tor the past two
years, steady decline III the consUmp-
ton ol commercial ia,llllZers by the
FARMERS OF the state.
COTTON or HAsD.
The correspondcnts rcuo,t that obout
5 per cent. Of last years cotton cron wos
in the hands of thS farms ON fla Ist of
April This oraounts to nh0ut Oh n0O
bales.
,.,,,,, ~
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FRUIT, garden produce, and carly